MSS-178AC Freerider Gundam Panic
The MSS-178AC Freerider Gundam Panic (also known as Freerider 05, Freerider Panic, or Gundam Panic) is a customized experimental mobile suit featured in New World Panic Gundam Freerider. It is built and piloted by Alexa Hepburn. Technology & Combat Characteristics By the third century of the Universal Century, constant use of the Minovsky particle has led to its proliferation across the air supply of the Earth, with a significant 8% chunk dedicated to it and its offshoot mutations and variants. The original Freerider series, five testbed mobile suits meant to help in the development of the Omega (ω) Gundam, were designed with a specialized Minovsky Surf System which would use the particles as a stable wavepoint which would allow objects to obtain high speed flight capabilities regardless of aerodynamics. These five were stolen away from the Earth Federation by the counterculture group Ride the Wave, with one being left alone while the other four were customized to suit their new users. The MSS-178AC Freerider Gundam Panic is this abandoned unit, taken up by Alexa Hepburn after a rally where she crossed the path of Ride the Wave. Built over the course of a month, the Freerider Panic is a heavily customized and redesigned Freerider Gundam, only really keeping the basic inner frame while changing almost everything else externally. Its armor is a recasted Gundarium ω (Omega) alloy that is extremely light and durable, made with intrinsic properties such as resistance to physical force and Anti-beam coating. Parts which were replaced that couldn't be reproduced with the ω alloy are instead a standard Ceramic composite and copper lining. Magnetic coating parts are implemented to the joints, allowing the Panic to use the AMBAC system smoothly whilst in high speed. The main feature of the Freerider Gundams is the Minovsky Surf System, utilized with a Waverider/Base Jabber-type platform called the M-SURF Boardrider. Vents on the board act to spread out a stream of Minovsky particles along the horizontal plane of the Freerider. By polarizing the closest particles in the atmosphere in the immediate vicinity of the board and creating a constantly-in-flux unstable I-field, the unit can essentially achieve self-sustaining flight by essentially surfing through the air. By creating a magnetic force around the board, the unit can be propelled by the unstable I-field across vast distances at high speeds. Because of the low amount of Minovsky particles that are permanently part of the atmosphere, the unit isn't trapped vertically or horizontally by the I-field, allowing for smooth three dimensional movement. Because of how the Surf System works, a trail of energized particles is left behind that, at the source behind the board, have similar properties to a high intensity beam saber. For the sake of independent use, the Freerider also has a pair of thrusters on its back for traditional propulsion and air nozzles which act to push it in certain directions within low gravity vacuums such as outer space. Design flourishes given to the Panic by Alexa include extra armoring around the elbow and knee regions (painted deep blue), the mostly white body with exception to the deep blue chest unit, shoulder armor, soles of the feet, and the dark grey hands with red fingertips. The most striking feature of the Panic is its head unit, with a modified V-fin (with the red central crest on the original Freerider removed) for a flexible mobile suit-sized cap made of durable outdoors cloth laced underneath a moving metal skeleton. A section of the hat in the middle is removed for the forehead sensor to pass through, and two clips on the cap feed into two slots on the front and back of the head to affix it into place. A design idea of the original Freerider project that made its way to the five testbed units was the Mobile Track System. Rather than a normal cockpit, the pilot would use their whole body as the controls to the Mobile suit. They would be suspended in the middle of an I-field within the chest cavity of the Freerider and would have their movement match the positioning of the mobile suit with 1-to-1 accuracy. The only things that the pilot would be equipped with are a pair of gloves which allow the pilot the same controls they would have in a regular cockpit and a miniaturized version of the Boardrider which is fully operational. Due to the Nanocompact Minovsky reactor, an entire deck of the chest cavity is mostly hollow, allowing room for the Mobile Track System and a series of optional passenger seats on the sides of system array. An added feature of the Panic is a front-and-back opening hatch which would allow a pilot to use their Boardrider to fly into the MT System cockpit. The head unit features a pair of 60mm Hipowered Vulcans (with two passages on the hat allowing for use with it on), while the arms have two powerful Beam sabers stored in their backings. The only weapon the Freerider Panic can be equipped with is a standard-issue beam rifle. The Boardrider itself is resistant to most attacks, making it the Panic's shield. While the beam rifle provides the Freerider Panic midrange offensive capabilities, due to its pilot's preferences, it goes virtually unused compared to its other armaments. Armaments *'60mm Hipower Vulcans' **Mounted on the sides of the head are a pair of 60mm Hipower Vulcan machine guns, capable of firing devastating armor-piercing rounds forward along the path of Freerider's sight. The cap which has been added to the head unit has two protected holes on either side. This allow the vulcans to fire through without damaging the cap itself. *'Extension Beam Sabers' **Stored on the back elbows of the arm units are a pair of Beam saber handles, equipped with an enlarged energy emitter cap and a forward guard. By charging Minovsky particles then flooding them out as mega particles into a long and thin I-field net, the handles produce a Beam blade capable of slicing through most non-treated materials. The sabers stand at 25 meters tall, longer than the Freerider itself. *'M-SURF Boardrider' **The main feature of the Freerider series is the Minovsky Surf System, demonstrated with the M-SURF Boardrider. Operating as a hovering mobile platform for the mobile suit, the Freerider's MS System is mainly utilized by the board to transport the suit across vast distances at high speeds. Vents across the horizontal edges of the board disperse a two dimensional plane of Minovsky particles and triggers a shifting electrical current through the immediate plane around the board. This creates an ever-changing unstable I-field cubic lattice which both pushes and pulls upon the source (the board), causing it to achieve fixed stationary flight without the risk of accidental turnage of the board or dropping due to stopped movement in air. To move within the unstable I-field, the board generates a magnetic push behind itself, along with flooding out concentrated Minovsky particles, which causes the lattice to propel the board (and the unit on top) at blinding speeds. Similar repelling and collapsing forces can be used to push the board in all directions. Due to how the I-field is formed, a streak of charged particles is left behind which has similar properties to a high-intensity beam saber for a few seconds before immediate decay. The unit can lock the soles of its feet onto a series of magnetic plates on top of the board, ensuring that the two can't be easily separated by outside forces. The bottom of the board is heavily armored with Gundarium ω Alloy, allowing it a high degree of durability against most attacks made on it. A magnetic attachment can be placed on the top plates so that the Panic can hold the Boardrider as a traditional shield. *'Beam Rifle' **The Freerider can be equipped with a basic beam rifle, back-loaded with a charged helium-3 magazine for independent use from the suit, though the rifle can connect to the suit's reactor. The weapon acts a mid range option for the Panic, a suit with only close range options at its disposal, though it isn't necessary. The rifle can be held in either hand, or stored on the back armor unit. Special Features & Equipments *'Nanocompact Minovsky Fusion Reactor' **As technology has advanced, so as the means of powering it. In the pursuit of miniaturizing everything, the Nanocompact Minovsky Fusion Reactor is a product of that. Only really taking up a nine centimeter diameter and six centimeter length, the Nanocompact reactor is capable of generating the same energy output as an older, larger reactor. Two discs on the outer sides of the reactor make up a twin catalyst system powered by a connecting cylinder between the two which holds the helium-3 fuel. A feedline can be plugged into the cylinder slot to replace depleted fuel without interruption in use. Alternatively, helium-3 Bloks, magazine-like cartridges which contain the fuel, can be inserted into the slot. Because of its portable nature, several of these plants can be installed into a mobile suit at once, allowing it more power. It's also designed to immediately halt catalyzation upon unexpected interruption of power output, removing some measure of risk that the mobile suit would explode upon the reactor being breached. The Nanocompact reactor stacks can be slid out of the side walls of the Freerider's cockpit unit, while the array inside the Boardrider can be pulled out from underneath the magnetic plates on top of the board. The miniaturized Boardrider that the pilot is equipped with is also powered by a single Nano Minovsky Reactor. *'Minovsky Surf System' **The Minovsky Surf System is an evolution on the Minovsky Craft System, in which an object can bounce Minovsky particles between its underside and the ground underneath to create a counterforce against gravity, allowing the object to "fly". Several successor units, such as the Drive and Flight systems, made way for the system's miniaturization and expanded utility. The Surf system combines the results of its predecessors with the new concept which arose with the current state of all human-inhabited environments. A unit can expand out a high yield of Minovsky particles and, combined with the particles already in the vicinity and a shifting electromagnetic pulse, create an unstable I-field which will push and pull upon the unit at the same time, stabilizing it and allowing it to achieve flight. While the Boardrider generates a horizontal plane in which the unit can move on, the Freerider itself also has the MS System, acting as an invisible shield along its outer armor. This allows the Freerider a pseudo type of anti-aerodynamic flight, in which air current and drag are simply repulsed by the thin I-field and the mobile suit is left unharmed by it. This wrapped I-field can also allow the Freerider Panic to safely perform reentry, though it is preferred that the Boardrider acts as a cover for the unit. *'Mobile Track System' **Rather than a standard cockpit unit, the Freerider series have a new kind of interface system meant to allow pilots to control the mobile suit through their own bodily movements. Known as the Mobile Track System, the pilot is floated inside a sphere-like I-field which is housed by spinning ring sensors which track the pilot's movements and mimic them with the mobile suit with 1-to-1 accuracy. Specialized gloves are given to the pilot which act as the regular hand-based interface for controlling the mobile suit, while still giving free range to the pilot. To help in simulating the options that the pilot has, they are given a fully operational miniaturized Boardrider which acts as a 1-to-1 version of the mobile suit's own Boardrider. A physically fit individual is needed in order to properly use the Mobile Track System, resulting in its only application being through the Freerider series. The MT System, and consequently the cockpit, is located in the upper torso cavity. Due to how little space the unit actually takes up, optional passenger seats can be bolted along the exterior ring of the MT System, allowing up to eight passengers. *'Gundarium ω Alloy' **The Freerider series feature a new version of Gundarium alloy, marked as ω (omega), in reference to the Omega Gundam in which the Freerider series is a testbed for. Gundarium Omega is extremely lightweight yet almost indestructible, capable of withstanding both physical and beam-based weaponry without so much as a scratch and maybe a slight surface chip. The armor also carries a hidden feature on its surface; a conduit web in the middle of the armor components which acts in tandem with the Minovsky Surf System, applying a thin formfitting I-field along the body of the mobile suit. The web acts to pull the electromagnetically charged Minovsky particles towards the surface of the armor at all times, ensuring that it wouldn't somehow lose form in the middle of use. History Trivia *The term Freerider can refer to several concepts and real-world ideas: **''Freeriding'' is a style of snowboarding or skiing performed on natural, ungroomed terrain, without a set course, goal, or rules in place. **The Free-rider problem is a type of market failure seen in social science that occurs when those who benefit from resources, public goods, or services of a communal nature do not pay for them. Free riders are a problem because while not paying for the good, they may continue to access it. Thus, the good may be under-produced, overused or degraded. An example would be a project where one or more members may reduce their contributions or performance if it is thought that others in the group may attempt to free ride. *The word Panic refers to an emotion where one is overwhelmed by a sudden sense of fear, which is strong enough to dominate and/or prevent reason and logical thinking. Panic causes one to be flooded with anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reaction. **Panic comes from the Greek word πανικός (panikós, "pertaining to Pan"). Pan is the Greek god of "the wild, shepherds, and flocks, nature of mountain wilds, rustic music and impromptus, and companion of the nymphs." Category:Custom Mobile Suits